This ONLINE course will be held via the Zoom platform.

Participants will engage in a highly interactive seminar around community engagement, organizing, and development in ministry. We will explore the following topics and work to apply them into your ministry settings, whether strengthening an existing ministry or starting another: asset based community development; solidarity, Sabbath & Jubilee economics; watershed discipleship; the inner-outer journey of ministry; contemplative practices; restorative justice, and nonviolent social action. Ideally, everyone will evaluate and strengthen their spiritual practices, learn about new issues, and creatively apply new strategies and approaches to place-based ministry.

Class will be held on Wednesdays from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm. February: 24, March:3, 10, 18 and 24, April 7 and 14. There will be no class on March 31, in observance of Holy Week.

All reading materials will be provided by the Instructor.

Assignments will include a Personal Statement, 2 short Reflection papers, and a final class presentation.

John Dempsey Parker works to support and cultivate resilient and creative community leaders, change-makers, activists, and entrepreneurs. He engages leaders, nonprofits, congregations, funders, universities, tribes, and businesses around their ideas, projects, and partnerships.  For over twenty-five years, he’s nurtured collaborative, culturally appropriate, and responsible leadership to strengthen local, statewide, regional, and national organizing, collaborations, and initiatives. John’s areas of focus include strengthening skills, strategies, resources, and partnerships around:

• civic engagement and community organizing
• collaborative and cooperative leadership and group work
• spiritual activism and contemplative organizing for restorative justice, Jubilee justice, watershed discipleship, and cultural healing
• sustainable, community-based and rooted economic development for cultural survival, integrity, and resilience
• watershed and bioregional stewardship and re-inhabitation, wilderness preservation, and a thriving wild Creation.

Register for this Class Online